First Time Home Buyer's: Things To Look For In Your First Home

Choosing your first home wisely is an absolute necessity. From the price to other important details including landscape maintenance, here are important things to look at in your first home.

A Doable Price

As first time buyers have no equity from a previous home to roll into the purchase, coming up with a down payment and having the financial aspects down pat is critical. Coming up with a firm target price and sticking to it is key. Home affordability due to stagnating markets are making this an easier task for first time buyers.

Buy A House That Accommodates Your Family Goals

As people are staying in starter homes longer and longer, don’t just buy for right now. If you plan to start a family over the next ten years, take that into consideration when choosing the ideal space to meet your goals.

Location Is Key

Don’t just look at the home itself, but what surrounds it. Look for signs of a stable neighborhood with long term residents that invest in their neighborhood. If you look around and see that landscape maintenance and well kept homes are the area standard, that is a good sign. However, excessive for sale and for rent signs should give you pause. If you are planning to have a family, make sure your home is in a quality school district.

Look For A History Of Correct Maintenance

Buying a house that has not been properly maintained will open you up to a potentially expensive and frustrating future. All of the abuse and neglect that has fallen on a home will become your responsibility to fix if you aren’t careful. If you see any of these signs when looking for a home to purchase, move on to the next home.

-Rotting exterior trim

-Dirty and neglected air return ducts

-Damaged roof and gutters

-A dirty filter in the HVAC system